In what ways can making videos feel meaningful? This is what Stephen explains at the beginning of his interview while sharing the reasons why he started a YouTube channel. In addition to making YouTube videos, Stephen also uses creative filmmaking to grow brands. He specialises in outdoors/tourism and also covers promos, events, online advertising for a range of industries. His business, Grafters Media has helped clients gain customers, win awards and gain multi-million investments. He talks about the aspects of commercial work that he finds most challenging and how he is trying to establish more balance in his life so that he doesn’t feel so stressed and get sick.

Themes during Stephen’s interview include the pressure he puts on himself to do a good job, his thoughts on nerves being a part of life, what it’s like to combine personal hobbies with work, the importance of keeping active, how he got into making commercial videos, and why he started trailrunning. 

At the end of the interview, Stephen asks you a question that might help you to open up your thinking about taking a different career path that will give you more creative freedom and time outside.

Here’s the list of questions that I asked Stephen:

• Why did you start a YouTube channel?
• Did you feel nervous about speaking to the camera and sharing your videos when you started?
• Why is it that you still show up and do it?
• Do you want to spend time outdoors without being on camera?
• What’s it like doing what you do?
• Where do you think your stress is coming from?
• How has it been to get yourself to this place?
• Did you already know how to use cameras before you started the YouTube channel?
• Do you think this is what you’ll continue to do as your line of work?
• Do you believe that you could still find the thing you will stick with?
• How long have you been doing this type of commercial work?
• How proactive are you with finding client work?
• Have you accepted nerves as part of the experience?
• What question would you like to ask your listeners?

Links

Stephen’s YouTube channel

Stephen's video of us running on Kinder Scout

Stephen’s instagram

Stephen’s twitter

Stephen’s LinkedIn

References

Jacob Tonkin on Instagram

Fell Running with Jacob Tonkin video on Stephen’s YouTube channel

Runkeeper

Recording information

This episode was recorded at my house in Edale on 2nd November 2023.

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Final notes

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Podcast music is by Tsarzi and artwork by Tiffany-Francis Baker.

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